Power saws are a type of cutting tool, which are useful for quickly and easily cutting material, such as construction lumber and other building products. A common type of power saw is a portable circular saw, which includes a foot plate, and a circular saw blade that extends below the foot plate. Typically, a user cuts a workpiece with a circular saw by resting the foot plate on the workpiece, aligning the saw blade with a desired cut path, and then manually guiding the circular saw in the direction of the cut path, often following a marked line on the workpiece.
The foot plate is typically pivotally connected to a housing of the circular saw, and defines an opening through which the blade extends. The depth of cut made by the saw blade is controllable by adjusting the pivotal position of the foot plate. For example, the circular saw may be configured to make a shallow cut in or through a workpiece by pivoting the foot plate to a position in which only a small portion of the saw blade extends from the bottom of the foot plate. The circular saw may be configured to make to a deep cut in or through a workpiece by pivoting the foot plate to a position in which a greater portion of the saw extends from the bottom of the foot plate.
Most users desire that a circular saw, which has a housing that is robust and compact. However, the pivot hinge that connects the foot plate to the housing of the circular is often bulky and obtrusive.
Therefore, it is desirable to provide a circular saw having a foot plate that is pivotally connected to the housing of a circular saw with a robust and compact hinge assembly.